Chrysanthemum plant named &#39;Little Stars Pink&#39;

ABSTRACT

A new variety of  Chrysanthemum  plant named ‘Little Stars Pink’ having a domed capitulum of small pink anemone type flowers and a round shape. Flowers have shown to have good resistance to adverse weather conditions.

This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application No. 60/544,062, filed on Feb. 11, 2004.

LATIN NAME OF THE GENUS AND SPECIES

Botanical classification: Chrysanthemum morifolium.

VARIETY DENOMINATION

The new Chrysanthemum variety denomination is ‘Little Stars Pink.’

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention comprises a new and distinct cultivar of Chrysanthemum botanically known as Chrysanthemum morifolium, and referred to by the variety name ‘Little Stars Pink.’

‘Little Stars Pink,’ identified as 31268-0, originated from a cross-made in a controlled breeding program in Chichester, West Sussex, United Kingdom. The female parent of the new Chrysanthemum variety is an undistributed, unpatented seedling identified as ‘99.857-5.’ The male parent of the new Chrysanthemum variety is an undistributed, unpatented seedling identified as ‘30825-0.’ The new Chrysanthemum variety ‘Little Stars Pink’ has been asexually reproduced by vegetative cuttings in Chichester, West Sussex, United Kingdom and the distinguishing characteristics are retained through successive generations of asexual reproduction.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

‘Little Stars Pink’ is a garden type of Chrysanthemum plant variety having a domed-round canopy of small, deep pink anemone type flowers.

Comparison with Female Parent

Plants of the new Chrysanthemum variety ‘Little Stars Pink’ are dissimilar to the parent variety ‘99.857-5’ in plant habit and growth rate. In side-by-side comparisons in Chichester, West Sussex, United Kingdom, under commercial practice, plants of the new Chrysanthemum variety ‘Little Stars Pink’ differed from plants of the parent variety ‘99.857-5’ in the following characteristics.

-   -   1. The new Chrysanthemum variety ‘Little Stars Pink’ produces         small deep pink anemone type flowers whereas the parent variety         ‘99.857-5’ produces pink single type flowers.     -   2. Plants of the new Chrysanthemum variety ‘Little Stars Pink’         have smaller and shorter inflorescence than plants of the parent         variety ‘99.857-5.’     -   3. Plants of the new Chrysanthemum variety ‘Little Stars Pink’         are less vigorous than plants of the parent variety ‘99.857-5.’

Comparison with Male Parent

Plants of the new Chrysanthemum variety ‘Little Stars Pink’ are similar to the parent variety ‘30825-0’ in plant habit and growth rate. However, in side-by-side comparisons in Chichester, West Sussex, United Kingdom, under commercial practice, plants of the new Chrysanthemum variety ‘Little Stars Pink’ differed from plants of the parent variety ‘30825-0’ in the following characteristics.

-   -   1. The new Chrysanthemum variety ‘Little Stars Pink’ produces         small deep pink anemone type flowers whereas the variety         ‘30825-0’ produces dark pink, single type flowers.     -   2. Plants of the new Chrysanthemum variety ‘Little Stars Pink’         have larger and longer inflorescence than plants of the parent         variety ‘30825-0.’     -   3. Plants of the new Chrysanthemum variety ‘Little Stars Pink’         are more vigorous than the parent variety ‘30825-0.’

Comparison with Other Variety ‘Tinseltown’

Plants of the new Chrysanthemum variety ‘Little Stars Pink’ are dissimilar to the unpatented variety ‘Tinseltown’ in plant habit and growth rate. However, in side-by-side comparisons in Chichester, West Sussex, United Kingdom, under commercial practice, plants of the new Chrysanthemum variety ‘Little Stars Pink’ differed from plants of the variety ‘Tinseltown’ in the following characteristics.

-   -   1. The new Chrysanthemum variety ‘Little Stars Pink’ produces         small deep pink anemone type flowers whereas the variety         ‘Tinseltown’ produces small deep pink/purple single type         flowers.     -   2. The new Chrysanthemum variety ‘Little Stars Pink’ has smaller         and shorter inflorescence than the variety ‘Tinseltime.’     -   3. The new Chrysanthemum variety ‘Little Stars Pink’ has a         natural season response of near 9 weeks whereas the variety         ‘Tinseltown’ has a natural season response of near 10 weeks.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF ILLUSTRATION

Typical specimens of the plant and flowers for the new Chrysanthemum variety ‘Little Stars Pink’ are shown in the accompanying digital photograph. The colors shown are as true as possible within the usual limits of this kind of illustration. FIG. 1 is a whole plant view of the new Chrysanthemum variety ‘Little Stars Pink’ grown in a pot. The plant shown in the illustration is 63 days from the commencement of planting outdoors in mid-June.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

The following description of the new Chrysanthemum variety ‘Little Stars Pink’ is of plants grown outside, natural season, in Chichester, West Sussex, United Kingdom in the month of June. The variety has not been observed under all possible environmental conditions. The phenotype may vary significantly with variations in the environment such as temperature, length of day and light intensity, without any variance in genotype. The commercial classification of the new variety is a garden pot Chrysanthemum.

Plants of the new variety have been grown successfully under temperature conditions averaging about 50° F. at night and about 60° F. to 75° F. during the day under natural light conditions. The plants were grown outdoors in mid-June in 4 liter pots using, a loamless compost. No growth retardants were used. To produce a commercial product the plants may be pinched once with the center bud removed. The typical container size for commercial growth is 4 liters (8″). It has been observed that the shelf life of the new variety is about 26 days with a response time of about 9 weeks natural season. The new variety is suitable for growth in a temperature range of 50° F. to 75° F.

The new variety may be produced as a pot plant. The following description is with respect to a plant produced as a garden pot plant. In the description of this new Chrysanthemum variety, color values have been taken from The Royal Horticultural Society Colour Chart (R.H.S.C.C.).

Plant

-   Plant type: Pot. -   Habit: Domed-Round. -   Height: 45 cm-55 cm. -   Width: 40 cm-45 cm. -   Stem:     -   -   Length.—5 cm-7 cm.         -   Diameter.—0.3 cm-0.7 cm.         -   Texture.—Slightly pubescent.         -   Color.—near 137B. -   Branching characteristics: Free branching and spreading. -   Lateral branches:     -   -   Length.—7 cm-15 cm.         -   Diameter.—0.3 cm-0.5 cm.         -   Texture.—Slightly pubescent. -   Number of breaks from pinch: 7-12. -   Response time: near 63 days natural season. -   Vigor: Short/Medium. -   Shelf life: near 26 days. -   Disease (susceptibility/resistance observed): None observed to date. -   Pest (susceptibility/resistance observed): None observed to date. -   Drought and temperature (susceptibility/resistance observed): None     observed to date. -   Growth retardant type and treatment: No treatment necessary. -   The plants were grown for 9 weeks in natural season conditions. -   Propagation:     -   -   Type.—Vegetative Propagation via Stem Cuttings.         -   Time to rooting.—12 days with soil temperatures of 70° F.         -   Rooting habit.—Fine and Fibrous.

Foliage

-   Number of leaves per lateral branch: 9-12. -   Compound or single: Single. -   Arrangement of leaves: Alternate.     -   -   Shape of leaf.—Typically 5 lobed ovate.         -   Size of leaf.—Width: 0.9 cm-2.4 cm Length: 2.5 cm-4.5 cm.         -   Leaf apex.—Acute.         -   Base.—Obtuse.         -   Attachment.—Petioled.         -   Aspect.—Slightly undulating.         -   Margin.—Palmately lobed.         -   Surface characteristics.—Top: Slightly Pubescent Bottom:             Slightly Pubescent. -   Petiole:     -   -   Color.—near 137B.         -   Length.—0.8-7 cm-1.0 cm.         -   Diameter.—0.3 cm-0.4 cm. -   Venation: Net. Prominent mid vein at underside.     -   -   Color.—upper side: near 144B under side: near 144B. -   Color:     -   -   Mature leaf, upper side.—near 138A under side: near 138B.         -   Young Leaf, upper side.—near 138A; under side: near 138B.

Flower

-   Flower appearance: Matte. -   Flower type: Anemone. -   Flower form: Flat. -   Flower shape: Round. -   Flowering habit: Cyme. -   Number of blossoms per branch: 10-18. -   Typical and observed flowering season: August and September natural     season. -   Inflorescence form: Corymbiform.     -   -   Depth of fully expanded blossoms.—1 cm.         -   Diameter of fully expanded blossoms.—2 cm-2.5 cm.         -   Anemone center diameter.—0.7 cm-0.9 cm. -   Phyllaries:     -   -   Number.—22-25.         -   Color.—near 137C.         -   Length.—0.4 cm-0.7 cm.         -   Width.—0.1 cm-0.2 cm.         -   Texture/appearance.—Slightly Pubescent/Shiny. -   Peduncle:

Peduncle length is shortest at the terminal flower and progressively longer down the stem; longest length is on average 19 (cm), shortest length is on average 11 (cm).

-   -   -   Angle from stem.—20° 25°.         -   Length.—11 cm-19 cm.         -   Diameter.—0.2 cm-0.5 cm.         -   Color.—near 137C.         -   Surface.—Slightly pubescent.         -   Habit.—Slightly curving.         -   Strength.—Medium.

-   Pedicel:     -   -   Length.—terminal: 5 cm-6 cm; lateral: 9 cm-11 cm.         -   Diameter.—0.2 cm-0.4 cm.         -   Color.—near 137C.         -   Surface.—Slightly pubescent.         -   Habit.—Slightly curving.         -   Strength.—Strong.

-   Ray florets:     -   -   Form/shape.—Straight.         -   Texture/appearance.—Matte.         -   Number per flower.—25-30.         -   Length.—1.5 cm-1.9 cm; Width: 0.4 cm-0.6 cm.         -   Apex.—Round.         -   Base.—Tubular.         -   Margin.—Entire.

-   Disc florets:     -   -   Form/shape.—Cylindrical.         -   Texture/appearance.—Shiny.         -   Number per flower.—125-155.         -   Length.—0.4 cm-0.6 cm; Width: <0.1 cm-1 cm.         -   Diameter of disc.—0.6 cm-0.8 cm.

-   Fragrance: Slight.

-   Flower bud (at onset of color):     -   -   Length.—0.7 cm.         -   Diameter.—0.7 cm.         -   Form/shape.—Ball shaped.

-   General flower color:     -   -   1. Ray florets, upper side.—Immature: near 58D Mature: near             65A Older/Fading: near 65C.         -   2. Ray florets, under side.—Immature: near 58D Mature: near             65A Older/Fading: near 65C.         -   3. Disc florets.—Immature: near 14A Mature: near 14B             Older/Fading: near 14C.         -   4. Bud.—137B.

-   Flower progression with age: Flowers fade and pale uniformly with     age.

-   The lastingness of bloom is about 26 days.

Reproductive Organs

-   Gynoecium present on Ray and Disc florets. -   Ray florets per individual flower:     -   -   Pistil number.—25-30 observed.         -   Stigma color.—near 144D.         -   Stigma shape.—Forked.         -   Style color.—near 144D.         -   Style length.—0.2 cm-0.3 cm. -   Disc florets per individual flower:     -   -   Pistil number.—65-70 observed.         -   Stigma color.—near 144D.         -   Stigma shape.—Forked.         -   Style color.—near 144D.         -   Style length.—0.2 cm-0.3 cm. -   Androecium present on Disc florets only: -   Disc florets per individual flower:     -   -   Stamen number.—50-60 observed.         -   Anther shape.—Clubbed.         -   Anther color.—near 14C.         -   Pollen color.—near 12A.         -   Pollen quantity.—Medium. -   Fruit and seeds: None observed. 

1. A new and distinct variety of Chrysanthemum plant, substantially as described and illustrated herein. 